KATATONIA Interview with Anders Nyström

XM: Let’s start off by saying “Happy 20th!” and getting our readers up to date on what you and the band have been up to so far this year.
Anders: Thanks! We started the year by going to South America for the first time in our career and it was a blast, it surely had been a long time coming. The fans down there are really devoted and aren’t afraid to show what they’re about. Intense!
Then we went out on our 20th anniversary tour in Europe and did a run of special shows under the theme “an evening with Katatonia”. Been playing some of the usual, and some unusual festivals throughout the summer and as we speak we’re just on our way over to North America to start our two month long tour with Opeth.

XM: The band has recently re-issued Night Is the New Day and Last Fair Deal Gone Down. Are there any new songs in the works or perhaps a new album coming soon?
Anders: We aim to have a new album out before summer 2012, but it’s all down to how far we get going with the writing, because being on tour isn’t helping the making of a new album as that’s not the place and time to accomplish such a delicate process. We prefer the comfort, peace and quiet of being at home to fully focus on this and let the inspiration come naturally and not forced, but we’re definitely gonna come out with a new album next year,even if we miss the spring date and have to push it for autumn.

XM: Do you think that the concept of Katatonia has changed over the last 20 years? Do you still have the same energy and ideas as when you started?
Anders: I think the passion and ambition is still there, but it’s a different kind of energy and so are the ideas. The band is working on much more professional terms these days. We have a lot of people behind us in the machinery like a label, a management and an agency. We have five different members on a pay role to always be ready to dedicate their time and to commit to whatever Katatonia needs to do. The music is in a constant evolution and has come a long way since the last 20 years and we’re still shaping our sound by every album we do and we’re getting better musicians and more experienced performers by every show we play. Also our technical situation with the gear has changed a lot compared to when we started. There are so many more possibilities now that we try to utilize and take to our advantage. All these aspects help spin the wheel and when components work in sync, it generates motivation.

XM: How have things changed since the Normans left the band? Do you still keep in touch?
Anders: We were of course really sad to see them leave, since they’d been with us a really long time and grown to be part of the band, but on the other hand there’s not been any significant changes really since they left.They weren’t contributing musically, so that has not and will not affect the writing. We were also lucky to see the new guys who replaced their positions injected new energy into the band. People have actually been saying we’ve become a better live band in the last year, always appearing more energetic and professional. So, everything’s cool between us and the Norman brothers and we keep in touch like friends. Fred is still musically active on a smaller scale with October Tide and I think Mattias is giving him a hand with that as well when they head out and play.

XM: The band recently played Tuska Open Air Metal Festival. How was that experience? Did anything special or out of the ordinary happen?
Anders: It was a good show! However, we played in the afternoon and that’s always a difficult scenario for us. Having a burning bright sun in our eyes it’s hard to get our atmosphere and mood across. A lot of the thrash and death metal bands manage to pull this off just fine, but I think for certain black metal, doom metal and any kind of moody bands, it just won’t fit and do any justice. We really depend on darkness, but we have one of our best audiences in Finland, so it’s always a pleasure to play there and receive such feedback. Tuska is also one of my fave festivals in the world.

XM: When it comes to live shows what do you prefer playing the most? The larger or smaller shows? Why?
Anders: Both can be great if the circumstances are right. The smaller shows are easier to win over by default as they’re “your own” while the bigger shows are usually festivals with varied bills and it’s common you get a slot in the afternoon with the damn sun. But when we have played festivals where we walked on stage after dark, sometimes at midnight it’s been magic! You can’t go wrong with the chilling air, an open black night sky, smoke and beautiful lights in harmony with the music.

XM: I can’t help but to ask, why no Toronto show on this tour?
Anders: I’m sorry but I have absolutely no idea.

XM: You are involved in a couple projects right now. How do you juggle your music career in Bloodbath and Katatonia at the same time and which on wins out when push comes to shove?
Anders: We kinda start messing around with Bloodbath once a touring/album cycle with Katatonia is slowing down or coming to an end. Katatonia always take priority over Bloodbath, so wherever the gaps are Bloodbath take our focus. We’re talking about making a new album and we already have our minds made up on what direction we’ll take, we got ideas for lyrics, cover art and all that, so we just need to find a gap again somewhere down the line. There’s no pressure and no expectations to live up to and we don’t have any obligations to tour to support an album. We usually end up playing a couple of selective summer festivals and having fun while it lasts.

XM: When looking at a guitar for purchase what are a few things you look at before buying one?
Anders: Oh, It’s been a long time ago I bought a guitar. I’m endorsed my Mayones Guitars from Poland since 2005, so I’m obliged to play their guitars only, which I’m more than happy to do. They’ve built me about five custom made guitars that serve all my needs. But if I would go out and get a new one, I’d look for the shape, model, finish and wood to be right, because the hardware and pickups you can easily exchange yourself, but not the rest.

XM: If you could choose any historical figures, from any time period, who would you most likely want to sit down and have a conversation with?
Anders: Cliff Burton, maybe.

XM: I ask everyone this following question, “If you could have been involved in the writing, recording or production of any album which would It be and why?”
Anders: Whitesnake’s ‘1987’ and please add “touring” to that as well!

XM: As we are getting closer to the end of the year, what have been some of your favorite releases from 2011?
Anders: Opeth ‘Heritage’, Morbid Angel ‘Illud Divinum Insanus’and more…

XM: If you could only listen to metal from one decade, which would it be?
Anders: I think I’d have to go with the 80’s because it got a little bit of everything, all the NWOBHM releases that I grew up with in the beginning and then all the classic thrash albums, some cock rock and even a couple of essential death metal albums from the end of the decade.

XM: If you could go over the whole of your career and pinpoint the events that you are most proud of, what would they be?
Anders: The proudest moment would be releasing our debut album and seeing it filed nicely under “heavy metal” and “k” or even our very own bin in the record shops. More proud moments would be collaborating with Krister Linder on our last album, which is a person, we always looked up to. Also writing ‘Brave Murder Day’ in the studio and by that defining a sound completely new and ahead of its time. Oh and that Katatonia has offered me to travel the world and many places I’d never ever put my foot if it wasn’t for the music, there’s not many places left to go play now, it’s amazing.

XM: What does the band have on their agenda for the last few months of 2011?
Anders: We’re doing this two month long North American tour with Opeth right now and filling up all our days off with headlining side shows under the 20th anniversary theme “an evening with Katatonia”. We’ll do more of those when we go back home hitting the capitals of Scandinavia in December and that will mark the end of our 20th anniversary and round up the live activities for 2011.

XM: On behalf of xplosivemetal.com I would like to thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions with us. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Anders: Support good music! Continue to buy the albums you like and go see the shows of your fave bands and be part of the experience. Keep a look out for our new album to emerge sometime in 2012 and meanwhile we hope to see you on the road, cheers!

LINKS: